The goal of Top Crop is to introduce students to the complex problems surrounding growing food for an increasing population while ensuring that sustainable practices are used to protect the environment.
During this ten-round experience, students will make choices that will impact how successful their farm will be. Players need to strike a balance between deploying new technologies to maximize their crop yields while keeping long-term sustainability goals in mind. When purchasing the technologies to use on the farm, students should be sure to read the descriptions. Some technologies are automatically applied to the field, while some require students to take particular actions to receive the benefit from the technology.
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Credits
Project Coordinations
Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society
Katie Williams, National Geographic Society
Parker Ziegler, National Geographic Society
Research Manager
Todd Hermann, National Geographic Standards and Practices
Editor
Andrea Silen, National Geographic Society
Expert Reviewer
Julie Borlaug Larsen, Norman E. Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, Texas A&M University
Director
Elizabeth Wolzak, National Geographic Society
Associate Producer
Allyson Shaw, National Geographic Society
Producer
Sara Zeglin, National Geographic Society
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Related Resources
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Managing Resources
Individuals, communities, and countries depend on a variety of different resources to help them thrive: electricity, timber, oil, water, and food to name a few. Because these basic resources are such a large part of our daily lives, it is important that we manage them responsibly to ensure future generations have what they need. Human civilization heavily impacts the environment and the rich natural resources we depend on. All communities face the challenge of managing resources responsibly, not only for themselves, but for the sake of the world around them. Learn more about how individuals and communities can manage their resources to support themselves and the world around them.
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Learn at Home: Grades 6-12
Fostering curiosity and a passion for lifelong learning, this curated collection of activities can be adapted for students in grades 6-12 in a remote learning environment. Explore the planet through interactives and short lessons or take a deeper dive into a subject area with a complete unit.
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Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger
In 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted 17 sustainable development goals designed to transform our world by 2030. The second goal is to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. This initiative strives to help us rethink our global food infrastructure, from how we grow and harvest food to how we consume it. With a growing global population, we will need to implement innovative, sustainable practices to ensure equitable food access and eliminate fears of going hungry. Use these resources in your classroom to teach your students about sustainable agriculture and tactics that could potentially end world hunger.
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Staple Food Crops of the World
Our MapMaker Interactive layers show how many tons of cassava, maize, plantains, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, sweet potatoes, wheat, and yams were produced per country as an average from 2010 to 2012.
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Crops
A crop is a plant or plant product that can be grown and harvested for profit or subsistence. By use, crops fall into six categories: food crops, feed crops, fiber crops, oil crops, ornamental crops, and industrial crops.
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Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a call-to-action for people worldwide to address five critical areas of importance by 2030: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.
Related Resources
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Managing Resources
Individuals, communities, and countries depend on a variety of different resources to help them thrive: electricity, timber, oil, water, and food to name a few. Because these basic resources are such a large part of our daily lives, it is important that we manage them responsibly to ensure future generations have what they need. Human civilization heavily impacts the environment and the rich natural resources we depend on. All communities face the challenge of managing resources responsibly, not only for themselves, but for the sake of the world around them. Learn more about how individuals and communities can manage their resources to support themselves and the world around them.
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Learn at Home: Grades 6-12
Fostering curiosity and a passion for lifelong learning, this curated collection of activities can be adapted for students in grades 6-12 in a remote learning environment. Explore the planet through interactives and short lessons or take a deeper dive into a subject area with a complete unit.
-
Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger
In 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted 17 sustainable development goals designed to transform our world by 2030. The second goal is to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. This initiative strives to help us rethink our global food infrastructure, from how we grow and harvest food to how we consume it. With a growing global population, we will need to implement innovative, sustainable practices to ensure equitable food access and eliminate fears of going hungry. Use these resources in your classroom to teach your students about sustainable agriculture and tactics that could potentially end world hunger.
-
Staple Food Crops of the World
Our MapMaker Interactive layers show how many tons of cassava, maize, plantains, potatoes, rice, sorghum, soybeans, sweet potatoes, wheat, and yams were produced per country as an average from 2010 to 2012.
-
Crops
A crop is a plant or plant product that can be grown and harvested for profit or subsistence. By use, crops fall into six categories: food crops, feed crops, fiber crops, oil crops, ornamental crops, and industrial crops.
-
Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a call-to-action for people worldwide to address five critical areas of importance by 2030: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.